And Then There Were Two
by Emma.Leigh.Lu
Summary: While the gang's at the Western Air Temple, they get an unexpected guest.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: so, this is just something that came to me, lol. I might not continue it…so let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Last Airbender or any of the characters…no matter how awesome that would be!

Chapter 1

Katara

Aang and Zuko had been practicing the same move for hours on end; Aang just couldn't seem to get it right. I knew that he was wary about using his firebending again, but he really needed to pick up the pace if he was going to fight the Fire Lord. Toph was just sitting there, watching them in her own way and occasionally giving a sarcastic comment. Sokka was sitting by the fountain sharpening his boomerang with a strange look on his face, the kind he usually gets when he's getting an idea. It wasn't always a good idea, but I hoped with all my being that it was. We could really use some good ideas right now. I closed my eyes, tilting my face toward the sky above. The sun, only touching a few feet from the edge of the temple, was warm and felt wonderful. It got quiet suddenly, and I knew that Aang and Zuko must be taking a break. I heard someone approach me, but I ignored whoever it was and tried to focus on the warmth coming from above. A shadow fell over my face, and I thought that it was just a cloud passing by. But when it didn't go away, I opened my eyes only to find that Sokka was standing there with this huge grin on his face, meaning that he had an idea, as I had earlier guessed. I glared up at him until he got the idea and moved out of the way of my precious sunlight.

"So," I asked, "what's up?" Sokka sat down next to me, practically bouncing on his knees in his excitement at his idea. I sat there waiting for him to tell me, but he just kept bouncing and smiling; I was starting to get annoyed. "Oh, please Sokka," I asked, feigning enthusiasm. "Please tell me what's on your mind! I really want to know!" I sat up on my knees as well, bouncing in sync with him. Sokka snorted, not fooled for one second by my sarcasm. He leaned back on his hands, fixing me with a very un-Sokka like seriousness in his eyes. I was suddenly very intrigued; Sokka almost never gets this serious looking unless it's something very, very important.

"I was just thinking… you know how Aang has that problem with firebending?"

"If by problem you mean that he can't, then yeah." Sokka's lips pressed together in a hard line, probably not rethinking his original idea.

"Well, we know he does better under pressure. So, maybe, if Zuko were to attack you- hey now!" he said, for I stood up and glared at him with the iciest look I could muster. "Don't be like that! You know that if you were in danger, even fake danger, Aang could do it!"

"Yeah, except he'd go into the Avatar state and kill you all!" I had the satisfaction of seeing his face drop and his eyes go dark as he processed my words.

"Oh. Yeah. I forgot about that."

"What a surprise."

"What are you two whispering about over here," Toph asked, coming to stand right in between us. "Sounded important."

This remark caught Zuko and Aang's attention and, to my horror, Sokka proceeded to tell them.

"Well, I was just trying to think of a way to help Aang with his firebending, but Katara said-" here I splashed a small amount of water in his face, effectively ending the conversation. However, what I hadn't been expecting was his reaction; I'd forgotten how much he hated being hit with my waterbending. "Oh, it is so on," and he launched himself at me, and suddenly I couldn't fight back. Sokka knew that I was extremely ticklish, and he used that for his advantage. I was backtracking away from him, trying to escape but tripping over my own feet in my haste.

"Hey! Sugar Queen, Sokka! Stop it! I hear something!"

We all froze, watching Toph intently as she kneeled down to put her hand to the ground. She tilted her head to the side, listening.

"Someone's coming."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Ok, sorry it's taken me so long to update; everything's been so crazy!

Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA.

Katara

….

We all stood staring at Toph. I could see the looks on the other's faces and knew that we were all thinking the same thing: _Who could it be?_ Toph sat with her feet and hands on the ground, listening, her head tilted to the side as she concentrated on the footsteps approaching. I knew that we should be hiding, but I was frozen; my fear overpowered my mind, and couldn't get words to come out of my mouth or my feet to move.

Toph just sat there, listening, her head turning this way and that trying to pinpoint the footsteps. Suddenly, her head snapped up. She stood up and looked to the left, towards the inner workings of the temple, her lips in the slightest smile.

"It's not a threat," she said, breaking the silence that seemed to have enveloped us, "but... I don't know what it is."

"Why not?" Zuko asked, voicing what I had just been thinking, what we were all thinking.

"Because," Toph started, a little unsure about how to phrase her next words. "whoever it was just disappeared."

We stood there, I don't know how long, none of us saying anything, or even moving in the slightest. I wasn't sure I'd heard her correctly. How could a person just disappear? It just didn't fit. I was tempted to break the quiet that was surrounding us once again, but before I had the chance Toph stooped back down and put her hands back on the ground.

"There you are," she whispered, and in a most amazing display of her earthbending power, she shoved her hands into the ground, causing a rippled of rock to come crashing our way. Somehow, above the loud rumbling of the earth, I heard someone scream. From the pitch of it, I guessed it was a girl. I looked up at the giant pile of rubble coming my way, and just at the top, I saw a flash of color. Orange, just like Aang's old clothes. With another move, Toph brought the pile crashing down, and left the person – I saw that it was indeed a girl – stuck between three rocks.

"Please," the girl started, sounding very scared. However Toph didn't feel like giving her any time to talk.

"Ok, Blondie," how did Toph know that this person was blond? "How did you get here, why are you here, and what do you know."

The girl hesitated, seeming to try and understand the open-ended questions that Toph was asking. I decided that now was as good a time as any to step in.

"What she means is," I start, trying to put some kindness in my voice to take some panic out of this girls eyes. "how long have you been here? And what have you heard us talking about?"

"Um," the girl started to answer. She looked kinda out of breath, so I told Toph to let her go. "Thanks," she said, "I've been here as long as I can remember. And I didn't really hear anything. I was just walking by and I heard voices, so I thought I'd investigate." She stood up, straightening her robes and flattening her hair as she did so. When she lifted her arms, I saw the strangest blue protruding from farther up her arm.

"What is that?" I asked, pointing to it. She looked at her arm and laughed.

"I'm surprised you have to ask," she said, pushing up the sleeve, "since your friend there as one just like it." On her arm was a blue tattoo in the shape of an arrow.

"Why do you have those?" Aang asked, sounding a little like he might hit her if she didn't supply a satisfying answer and soon.

"Same reason you do, silly," she said, laughing a little. "I'm an airbender."

**Da da daaaaaa! **

**Reviews welcome! Hope you like! **


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